Ethics Discovering Right and Wrong

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How do you know right from wrong? ETHICS: DISCOVERING RIGHT AND WRONG shows you how history's greatest thinkers have understood ethics and gives you the tools to decide for yourself what's moral and immoral. And, of course, along the way youll master the basics of ethical philosophy.

Preface

xi

A Word to the Student: Why Study Moral Philosophy?

xvii

Introduction: What Is Ethics?

1

(23)

Morality as Compared with Other Normative Subjects

3

(3)

Traits of Moral Principles

6

(3)

Domains of Ethical Assessment

9

(3)

Why Do We Need Morality?

12

(4)

The Purposes of Morality

16

(2)

Conclusion

18

(2)

For Further Reflection

20

(3)

For Further Reading

23

(1)

Ethical Relativism: Who's to Judge What's Right and Wrong?

24

(18)

An Analysis of Relativism

26

(2)

Subjective Ethical Relativism (Subjectivism)

28

(3)

Conventional Ethical Relativism (Conventionalism)

31

(4)

A Critique of Ethical Relativism

35

(3)

Conclusion

38

(1)

For Further Reflection

39

(2)

For Further Reading

41

(1)

The Case for Moral Objectivism

42

(19)

Natural Law

43

(6)

Moderate Objectivism

49

(5)

An Explanation of the Attraction of Ethical Relativism

54

(3)

Conclusion

57

(1)

For Further Reflection

58

(1)

For Further Reading

59

(2)

Value: The Quest for the Good

61

(20)

What Types of Value Are There?

63

(2)

What Things Are Good?

65

(4)

Are Values Objective or Subjective?

69

(2)

What Is the Relation of Value to Morality?

71

(3)

What Is the Good Life?

74

(5)

For Further Reflection

79

(1)

For Further Reading

80

(1)

Egoism, Self-Interest, and Altruism

81

(23)

An Overview of the Problem

81

(3)

Psychological Egoism

84

(5)

Ethical Egoism

89

(3)

A Critique of Ethical Egoism

92

(2)

Attempted Refutations of Egoism

94

(2)

Evolution and Altruism

96

(3)

Egoism and the Problem of Posterity

99

(1)

Conclusion

100

(1)

For Further Reflection

101

(1)

For Further Reading

102

(2)

Utilitarianism

104

(30)

What Is Utilitarianism?

107

(4)

Two Types of Utilitarianism

111

(4)

The Strengths and Weaknesses of Utilitarianism

115

(3)

External Criticisms of Utilitarianism

118

(3)

Utilitarian Responses to Standard Objections

121

(5)

The Problem of Posterity

126

(2)

Conclusion

128

(2)

For Further Reflection

130

(2)

For Further Reading

132

(2)

Kantian and Deontological Systems

134

(25)

Two Types of Deontological Systems

134

(4)

Kant's Rule-Deontological System

138

(3)

The Categorical Imperative

141

(8)

Kant's Other Formulations of the Categorical Imperative

149

(4)

Kant's Ethics and Religion

153

(1)

A Reconciliation Project

154

(3)

For Further Reflection

157

(1)

For Further Reading

158

(1)

Virtue-Based Ethical Systems

159

(23)

The Aretaic Critique of Action-Based (Deontic) Ethical Systems

160

(4)

The Nature of Virtue Ethics

164

(5)

Types of Relationships between Virtue Ethics and Action Ethics

169

(8)

Conclusion

177

(3)

For Further Reflection

180

(1)

For Further Reading

180

(2)

Why Should I Be Moral?

182

(12)

The Paradox of Morality and Self-Interest

186

(6)

For Further Reflection

192

(1)

For Further Reading

193

(1)

Religion and Ethics

194

(17)

Does Morality Depend on Religion?

195

(4)

Is Religious Ethics Essentially Different from Secular Ethics?

199

(1)

Is Religion Irrelevant or Even Inimical to Morality?

200

(3)

Does Religion Enhance the Moral Life?

203

(4)

Conclusion

207

(2)

For Further Reflection

209

(1)

For Further Reading

210

(1)

The Fact-Value Problem: Metaethics in the 20th Century

211

(28)

Nonnaturalism

213

(4)

Emotivism

217

(5)

Prescriptivism

222

(10)

The Renaissance of Naturalism

232

(3)

Conclusion

235

(2)

For Further Reflection

237

(1)

For Further Reading

238

(1)

Moral Realism and the Challenge of Skepticism

239

(16)

Mackie's Error Theory of Morality

242

(4)

Harman's Moral Nihilism

246

(5)

Conclusion

251

(2)

For Further Reflection

253

(1)

For Further Reading

253

(2)

A Concluding Reflection: Minimal Morality, Virtue Ethics, and the Development of Character